crystal care

CRYSTALS 101

Hi my loves! I present to you: The longest guide I'll ever write! lol Even though I feel like I wrote a book (clearly, I like to get into extensive details), I think that I've covered all the basics. I have taken everything I know about these magical stones and created this crystal guide for anyone who wants to start working with them. Keep in mind, all the methods and tips suggested in this post stem from my own experiences with crystals. Use this information as a foundation. Stay open minded and dive in!

What is a crystal?

Crystals are natural healers that bridge the gap between earthly and celestial realms. These tools of light can heal at all levels including the physical, emotional, intellectual and spiritual levels. As energy passes through the crystal, they absorb and transform negative energy into positive energy. They have a natural pull providing a balanced and continual frequency across the planet.

Crystals are direct gifts from within Mother Earth. Beautiful stones that resonate with Gaia's heartbeat and channel cosmic energies. Very much alive! These high vibration minerals can take up to to a few million years to form and grow. They are made up of atoms that are filled with energy, just like humans do. Reason why we deeply resonate with crystals.

Why do they matter? They will help you co-create. Crystals carry energies that help you elevate your vibrational frequencies. A crystal's vibrations will align your mind and body back to a healthy vibration. They can assist in every day challenges, eliminate anxiety, heal our emotions and improve our physical health by balancing our chakras. They are here to help the Earth and its inhabitants by working energetically with other crystals in Mother Earth and harmonize our frequency. 

Choosing the right crystal

Place your hand in a crystal bowl and let your intuition tell you which one to pick. Hold a crystal and see if you feel any connections.

If you're not familiar with the crystal's metaphysical properties, you can always google this information. If you feel like this crystal will help you, assist you in a challenge, elevate your vibes or just simply look pretty on top of your nightstand, then bring it home with you! Your intuition will be your best guide. If a crystal naturally stands out to you, then it is the right fit.

Cleanse your crystal

The first thing you should do is cleanse your crystal. Why? You never know who has handled your crystal and what type of unwanted energies your crystal has absorbed. Their effectiveness may be affected by these negative energies. I always clear the new crystal before it joins my gem collection. You can clear your crystal as often as you want. I like to do it at least once a week.

The number of times you cleanse your crystal depends on how often you use it. If you wear your crystal as a necklace every day or always have it in your pocket, the crystal will pick up negative energies a lot quicker so it would be best to cleanse it often. If your crystal is placed on top of a desk or shelf, then cleansing it every couple months should be fine. Some people cleanse their crystal after someone else touches or holds the crystal. Trust your intuition and let it guide you when caring for your crystals. There are many ways to cleanse a crystal, but I have listed the most common ways below. Use your intention along with every method.

You can clear a crystal with a sage smudge or incense stick. Run the crystal through the sage smoke for about 30 seconds-5 minutes. If the crystal is too big or you prefer to leave it sitting, you can hold the smudge or incense stick by the crystal so the air around it will be full of the cleansing sage smoke.

Tip: There are certain crystals that will fade under sun exposure. Ex.: Amethyst, most pigmented crystals

Leave your crystal under the moonlight. I like to cleanse my crystals when there is a New Moon or Full Moon. The moon energies are super powerful and most purifying during those moon phases. I usually leave them overnight.

This option is a bit more trickier because there is a higher risk of losing the crystal. Place the crystal under clean running water, a river with a flowing current, ocean water, spring water or under the rain. Leave the crystal for as long you think is necessary.

(Sidenote: Certain crystals cannot be placed in water because they will dissolve or oxidize. Ex.: Halite (salt crystal will dissolve), Hematite (iron in crystal will cause oxidation), Selenite, Azurite, Malachite and many more.)

Tip: Place crystals in a zip lock bag and poke tiny holes to prevent crystals from slipping from your hands.

Use your intention to rid the crystals of any negative energies. Hold the crystal in your hand, focus your energy on the crystal, ask the universe to cleanse the crystal and don't forget to thank the universe. Do this for as long as you feel is necessary.

Place your crystal in a zip lock bag or piece of fabric. Bury the crystals in the ground for 24-48 hours. Some crystals may take longer. Even though Mother Earth's vibrational energies will clear the crystal just as good as any of the other methods, please protect the crystal from weathering.

Use a gong, sound bowl or bell. The sound waves clear any stagnation. Therefore, the crystal will be filled with the strong vibrations, cleared and return to its natural frequency set. This is probably one of the easiest methods. You can clear an entire collection of crystals very quickly.

Take a bowl and fill with clear water. Preferably filtered or spring water. Add fresh flowers like roses, jasmine or your favorite flower. Place crystal in the bowl for 24-48 hours. Flowers have natural vibrational energies that can easily clear a crystal.

(Sidenote: Be careful with placing certain crystals in water. Research your crystal before placing in flower essence.)

Place the crystal on top of a large Amethyst or Clear Quartz crystal cluster. You can also place your crystal on top of a Selenite slab. Usually after 12-48 hours the crystal will be cleared. These power crystals are said to absorb any negative energies, cleanse the crystal as well as re-energize it.

Add uncooked brown rice to a bowl. Place crystal in the bowl and completely cover the crystal with the brown rice. Leave the crystal in the bowl for about 24-48 hours. The brown rice will absorb any negative energies. When the crystal is cleansed, throw away the brown rice.

I personally do not use this method to clear a crystal because I feel that it is too abrasive and harsh. Place your crystal in a bowl filled with dry salt or saltwater. Leave the crystal in the bowl for 1-72 hours depending on how much cleansing you feel is necessary. For deep cleansing, leave in bowl for up to a week. Remove the crystal from the bowl and rinse under running water. This will ensure that you wash away any remaining salt bits that can end up deteriorating your crystal. After you cleanse the crystal, do not reuse the salt or saltwater in the bowl. Throw away the salt or saltwater that now has unwanted negative energies.

Tip: Please do your research before placing certain crystals in salt or saltwater. The best option is to place the crystals in a bowl. Then, add salt to another bowl that is slightly larger. Place the bowl with crystals in the bowl filled with salt. Even though there is no direct contact, the crystals will still be cleared.

These are just a few of the many methods used to cleanse a crystal. You can use different methods every time you cleanse your crystal. You do not have to stick to one method. Just make sure to research your crystal before placing it under the sun, in water or in salt. Also, do not use a chemical cleaner. This can alter the physical properties of a crystal.

There are a couple crystals that do not need cleansing due to automatic self-cleansing. The more popular stones are Citrine, Selenite and Kyanite which not only cleanse themselves, but can also cleanse surrounding crystals. I prefer to cleanse all my crystals. Remember, always use your intuition.

Energize or Charge your crystal

This step is some times skipped. Not everyone charges their crystal. Some people believe that by clearing it, the crystal will automatically align itself with Mother Earth's electromagnetic field and begin to charge itself instantly. As long as their natural frequency set is aligned with Mother Earth, they will have a never ending connection to energy. There are others that like to cleanse their crystal and then charge it by using one of the following methods:

Place the crystal in the sunlight. Leave for as long as you feel necessary.

Place the crystal under the moonlight and let the moon fill the crystal with moon energy. Best to do this during a full moon.

Place your crystal in a zip lock bag and poke tiny holes in the bag. You can energize the crystal by putting the crystal under running tap water or by going to a river that is flowing naturally.

Program your crystal

This simply means that you are infusing your intention with the crystal. You are putting your intention out in the universe so that the crystal can assist you in achieving said intention. Crystals will naturally help you even if you do not program them. They already have a set of instructions embedded in each one. So technically this step is optional.

There are many ways you can program a crystal and everyone has their own method. Follow your intuition. You do not have to follow a certain step-by-step process. I believe it's best to program a crystal right after it is cleansed. This is the way that I choose to program a crystal:

Important: Before I even pick up the crystal, I make sure that my thoughts are clear and I release any emotions that do not serve my higher self. I let go of any low vibrations so that I can program the crystal with loving energies. Then I proceed to do the following:

-Say thank you when finished.

Optional: In addition to the above, I sometimes write my intention on a piece of paper and leave the crystal on top of the paper. The crystal will absorb and magnify the thought energy.

It is essential for the intention to be clear and focused. Exact wording helps the crystal know precisely what it needs to support you with. The crystal will now resonate with this intention. Some people have a crystal programmed to attract abundance, others to eliminate anxiety. I've programmed a crystal to stimulate dream recall, clear negative vibrations in my home and heal malignant cells in my body. You can program a crystal to assist in anything you want to heal. These magical stones are here to help with any intention.

You can program your crystal as often as you'd like. Some people like to reprogram the crystal once a month because they feel that the crystal loses its program over time. Others believe that the crystal will stay programmed until you reprogram it again. Please use your crystal for positive purposes only.

Interact with your crystal

After you program your crystal, you can leave it in your home or you can carry it with you. What you do next is all up to you! Your relationship with your crystal is based on what resonates best with you. Always keep an open mind when working with crystals. Allow yourself to be open to the crystal's influence. Have love and respect for your crystal.

One of my favorite ways to establish a connection with a new crystal is to meditate with the crystal by itself. I close my eyes, try to picture the crystal as clear as I can and memorize that imprint. I meditate with the crystal a couple times before I start pairing it up with different crystals.

Where do I store my crystal?

Make sure to place your crystal in a safe spot. Some crystals are very delicate and will break easily. Keep in mind that if a crystal breaks, it was meant to be. Do not worry. It will continue to have the same energies and now you have two of the same crystal. I prefer to gift one half to a friend or family member, but you can also keep both pieces. When my vanadinite crystal fell and a smaller piece broke off, I saw it as a blessing. I loved my vanadinite but couldn't always carry it because it was too delicate. Now, it's much easier to carry the smaller piece with me everywhere I go and still preserve the larger version at home.